THE PRIMITIVE CHURCHES THE ONLY PATTERN.

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for every particular we did from the book of God. CHAP. Which being by them well weighed and considered, they also entered into covenant with God and one another to walk in all his ways, revealed or as they should be made known unto them, and to worship him according to his will revealed in his written word only, &c. So that here also thou mayest see they set not the church at Plymouth before them for example, but the primitive churches were and are their and our mutual patterns and examples, which are only worthy to be followed, having the blessed Apostles amongst them, who were sent immediately by Christ himself, and enabled and guided by the unerring spirit of God. And truly this is a pattern fit to be followed of all that fear God, and no man or men to be followed further than they follow Christ and them.

Having thus briefly showed that the foundation of our New England plantations was not laid upon schism, division or separation, but upon love, peace and holiness; yea, such love and mutual care of the church of Leyden for the spreading of the Gospel, the welfare of each other and their posterities to succeeding generations, as is seldom found on earth; and having showed also that the primitive churches are the only pattern which the churches of Christ in New England have in their eye, not following Luther, Calvin, Knox, Ainsworth, Robinson, Ames, or any other, further than they follow Christ and his Apostles, I am earnestly requested to clear up another gross mistake which caused many, and still doth, to judge the harder of New England and the churches there," because (say they) the Church of Plymouth, which went first from

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ROBINSON'S DOCTRINE OF COMMUNION.

CHAP. Leyden, were schismatics, Brownists, rigid Separatists, &c., having Mr. Robinson for their pastor, who made and to the last professed separation from other the churches of Christ, &c. And the rest of the churches in New England, holding communion with that church, are to be reputed such as they are."

1617

to

For answer to this aspersion, first, he that knew Mr. Robinson either by his doctrine daily taught, or hath read his Apology, published not long before his death,' or knew the practice of that church of Christ under his government, or was acquainted with the wholesome counsel he gave that part of the church which went for New England at their departure and afterward, might easily resolve the doubt and take off the aspersion.

For his doctrine, I living three years2 under his min1620. istry, before we began the work of plantation in New England, it was always against separation from any the churches of Christ; professing and holding communion both with the French and Dutch churches,3 yea, tendering it to the Scotch also, as I shall make appear more particularly anon; ever holding forth how wary persons ought to be in separating from a Church, and

1 In 1619. Robinson died in 1625.

2 From 1617 to 1620. Winslow was 22 years old when he united himself to Robinson's church at Leyden. See note on page 274.

3 Robinson says in his Apology, page 6, "We do profess before God and men, that such is our accord, in the case of religion, with the Dutch Reformed Churches, as that we are ready to subscribe to all and every article of faith in the same Church, as they are laid down in the Harmony of Confessions of Faith, published in their name.

Again, on page 8, he says, "Touching the Reformed Churches, what more shall I say? We account them the true churches of Jesus Christ, and both profess and practise communion with them in the holy things of God, what in us lieth. Their sermons such of ours frequent, as understand the Dutch tongue; the sacraments we do administer to their known members, if by occasion any of them be present with us; their distractions and other evils we do seriously bewail; and do desire from the Lord their holy and firm peace."

HIS REGARD FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

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that till Christ the Lord departed wholly from it, man CHAP. ought not to leave it, only to bear witness against the corruption that was in it.

2

But if any object, he separated from the Church of England and wrote largely against it, but yet let me tell you he allowed hearing the godly ministers preach and pray' in the public assemblies; yea, he allowed private communion not only with them, but all that were faithful in Christ Jesus in the kingdom and elsewhere upon all occasions; yea, honored them for the power of godliness, above all other the professors of religion in the world. Nay, I may truly say, his spirit cleaved unto them, being so well acquainted with the integrity of their hearts and care to walk blameless in their lives; which was no small motive to him to persuade us to remove from Holland3 where we might probably not only continue English, but have and maintain such sweet communion with the godly of that nation as through God's great mercy we enjoy this day.

4

'Tis true, I confess, he was more rigid in his course and way at first than towards his latter end; for his study was peace and union, so far as might agree with faith and a good conscience; and for schism and divi

1 Cotton says, "This must not be understood of the Common Prayer Book, but of the prayers conceived by the preacher before and after sermon." Way, p. 8.

2 "By private communion I suppose he means in opposition to the mixed communion in the public churches; that is, he allowed all of the Church of England who were known to be pious to have communion in his private church. For as Mr. Cotton, writing of Mr. Robinson, says, 'He separated not from

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HIS DISLIKE OF EPISCOPACY AND THE LITURGY.

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CHAP. Sion, there was nothing in the world more hateful to him. But for the government of the Church of England, as it was in the Episcopal way, the Liturgy, and stinted prayers of the Church then, yea, the constitution of it as National, and so consequently the corrupt communion of the unworthy with the worthy receivers of the Lord's Supper, these things were never approved of him, but witnessed against to his death, and are by the church over which he was, to this day.' And if the Lord would be pleased to stir up the hearts of those in whom (under him) the power of reformation lies to reform that abuse, that a distinction might once be put between the precious and the vile, particular churches might be gathered by the powerful preaching of the Word, those only admitted into communion whose hearts the Lord persuades to submit unto the iron rod of the Gospel, O how sweet then would the communion of the churches be! How thorough the reformation! How easy would the differences be reconciled between the Presbyterian and Independent way! How would the God of peace, who command

1 "Our faith is not negative, nor consists in the condemning of others, and wiping their names out of the bead-roll of churches, but in the edifying of ourselves; neither require we of any of ours, in the confession of their faith, that they either renounce or in one word contest with the Church of England-whatsoever the world clamors of us in this way. Our faith is founded upon the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, in which no mention of the Church of England is made."

"No man to whom England is known can be ignorant that all the natives there, and subjects of the kingdom, although never such

strangers from all show of true piety and goodness, and fraught never so full with many most heinous impieties and vices, are without difference compelled and enforced by most severe laws, civil and ecclesiastical, into the body of that church. And of this confused heap (a few, compared with the rest, godly persons mingled among,) is that national church, commonly called the church of England, collected and framed. Every subject of the kingdom, dwelling in this or that parish, is bound, will he, nill he, fit or unfit, as with iron bonds, to participate in all holy things, and some unholy also, in that same parish church." Robinson's Apology, pp. 52, 56.

THE PILGRIMS NOT SCHISMATICS.

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391 eth love and good agreement, smile upon this nation! CHAP. How would the subtle underminers of it be disappointed, and the faithful provoked to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving! Nay, how would the God of order be glorified in such orderly walking of the saints! And as they have fought together for the liberties of the kingdom, ecclesiastical and civil,' so may they join together in the preservation of them (which otherwise, 'tis to be feared, will not long continue) and in the praises of our God, who hath been so good to his poor distressed ones, whom he hath delivered and whom he will deliver out of all their troubles. But I have made too great a digression, and must return.

In the next place I should speak of Mr. Robinson's Apology, wherein he maketh a brief defence against many adversaries, &c. But because it is both in Latin and English,2 of small price, and easy to be had, I shall forbear to write of it, and only refer the reader to it for the difference between his congregation and other the Reformed Churches.

The next thing I would have the reader take notice of is, that however the church of Leyden differed in some particulars, yet made no schism or separation from the Reformed Churches, but held communion with them occasionally. For we ever placed a large difference between those that grounded their practice upon the word of God, (though differing from us in the exposition or understanding of it) and those that hated such Reformers and Reformation, and went on in antichristian opposition to it and persecution of it, as the

1 This was written and published in England in the time of the civil wars in the reign of Charles I.

2 See the title of this work, note 3 on page 40.